There are great differences in application and award procedures among funding sources. Federal agencies and large foundations may have formal application packets with strict guidelines, while smaller foundations may operate more informally and provide a greater measure of assistance to inexperienced grant seekers. Nonetheless, all grant applications require a project narrative that includes a clear, concise description of your organization and the proposed project. The proposal narrative is the heart of the proposal and, when used effectively, can win the favor of your proposal reviewers.

Market Your Project! Be upbeat. Remember, your application is offering the funding source an opportunity to fund worthwhile programs which help the funding source reach its own objectives. Communicate the need for the service or activity to be provided, and a mechanism for getting the job done. Avoid pointing out what is wrong with existing programs; instead, offer an innovative or alternative approach to problem solving.

Narrative Style The guiding principle for developing the narrative should be based on the prescribed outline and selection criteria listed in the funding announcement. Remember, many funders have specific definitions of particular phrases and words in their application materials; be prepared to use these words and phrases in the same sense your funder uses them. When choosing someone to write the proposal, select someone who above all understands the importance of document construction and concise writing.

The objective of the proposal writer is to construct a proposal which may be read straight through by a reader, without having to turn back or forward in the proposal for clarification. The writer should anticipate "red flags," or questions the reader may have, and address them as part of the narrative.

Reviewer Psychology A good proposal writer will also be cognizant of the fact that there will likely be many people, and thus many personality types reviewing the proposal. Some reviewers respond better to hard statistics and percentages, while others relate more easily to a narrative which focuses more on the individual client. Winning proposals are written to appeal to both types of reviewers and will include both approaches (statistical and individual) throughout the proposal.

Other types of personalities include the perfectionist who wants everything in the proposal to be perfect; the controlling personality who hates surprises and wants everything laid out; the live wire who likes the proposal to be interesting and exciting; the tranquility seeker who wants the proposal to flow smoothly.

Readers have certain methods of reviewing that the majority of them follow. For example, they tend to skim through the document and focus on headlines. Some do not read everything in a proposal. After reading ten or 20 proposals on the same topic, a reviewer’s concentration may be waning; the writer’s duty is to keep the reviewer interested. Additionally, many reviewers do not read proposals in a linear fashion, they might pick parts to start. Every part of your proposal should be able to convey the message. Reward the reader for turning each page and paying attention.

Unsupported Assumptions Most grant applications contain at least a few unsupported assumptions, in which the writer assumes that the reader knows what a term means or that a particular statement is true on face value. An unsupported assumption is a statement that is left unexplained, or one for which you have provided no supporting data. Here are some examples:

NOT GOOD: "We all know that there are homeless people who are drug addicts."

This same information is more forcefully presented to a reviewer when expressed as:

GOOD: "A 2001 study by the Texas Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse (Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse Annual Report, 2001, Archive 34:00) indicated that 2 of every 5 adults between the ages of 19 and 48, self-identified as "homeless," consumed alcohol every day and reported using controlled pharmaceuticals more than..."

This presents enough information to demonstrate the applicant's knowledge of the problem and some level of expertise on the issue, without making broad unsubstantiated statements.

NOT GOOD: “Over 17% of all Americans are persons with disabilities, which mean that the City of Byron has over 5300 persons living with disabilities.”

Extrapolating local data directly from national data is generally an unreliable way to determine the magnitude of a local problem. In this case, use county or city data which is as current as possible, and cite your source.

GOOD: “Byron has over 5300 persons living with disabilities (1999 Auditor's Survey of Health Services Provision, Jasper County Department of Health).”

NOT GOOD: "Teenage males on parole, with significant substance abuse issues, are always at high risk of recidivating”

This is an example of an absolute causal relationship, where you are saying that one thing always causes another. If you must use such statements, make sure they are very well-documented because, even if your statement is true, the reader may not believe it without iron-clad proof. The safest rule is to avoid words like "always" and “never” when linking one event to another.

Organization Description The organization description is the section of the narrative where applicants describe who they are and why their agency is qualified to request funding for the proposed project. It is in this section that an agency has a chance to explain why they would be a good investment and a good partner for the funding source. An organization’s receipt of funding may be determined largely by an introductory piece that accurately communicates its ability to carry out what it proposes to do. Therefore, it is extremely important that, when writing this section, one convey a positive image about their organization.

Before writing this section, be sure to spend some time gathering information about your agency. If you are part of a small organization, ask fellow staff, board members, advisory group members, and even clients to tell you about what they think are the agency’s most valuable services. Research the history of the organization. Identify your organization’s most important accomplishments and be sure to always provide current information.

Remember, for better or worse, the organization’s name alone may conjure up positive or negative images. When positive, reviewers may associate an organization name with a business that is well-run, financially secure, and providing much-needed services for the community. If negative, an agency name can conjure up visions of an agency entangled in organizational chaos and ill suited to meeting the ongoing needs of its constituency.

You should carefully craft the organization description section to focus on the area for which funds are sought. Even if your organization dispenses a wide array of services, if funds are sought for a specific category of services, focus the discussion on your organization’s ability to accomplish work related to the funding source’s goals and objectives.

When another agency is involved. If a significant amount of project work is going to be carried out by coordinating agencies, then the grant writer is responsible for providing some evidence that the other organization or agency(ies) involved have the capacity to carry out desired activities. There are no hard and fast rules about what should be included in an organization description; however, you might want to include some of the following items.

ORGANIZATION DESCRIPTION CHECKLIST · Organization history
· Agency mandate, purpose, philosophy, and goals of the agency
· Clientele information & service area
· Strategic planning activities and implementation
· Governing structure
· Partnerships, collaborations
· Fiscal information, prior grants
· Quality of project personnel, including qualifications, experience, and certifications of employees and qualifications and experience of external consultants
· Positive feedback from clients, other agencies, experts, and public figures
· Prior project-related successes and current initiatives underway

The above proposal writing tips are selected from the Writing to Win!—a proposal development manual prepared by the Texas State Grants Team, Office of the Governor, www.governor.state.tx.us.

The Texas State Technical College West Texas is hosting the State Grant’s Team Writing to Win! Workshop in Sweetwater, TX on September 14-15, 2004. The fee for the two day workshop is $90. To register, contact Bridgett Willett at (325) 236-8230 or bridgett.willett@tstc.edu.